Reader to Reader: How are general cleaning duties delegated and enforced at your salon?

As the owner I take care of the cleaning. Each technician or stylist is responsible for his/her own area and personal tools. Everyone pitches in on emptying the garbage and keeping things tidy. ~ LISA SIVAK, The Upper Hand Spa Salon, Jamul, Calif.

My situation is a little different from other salons out there. We have two salons sharing one house. We break up the cleaning duties by switching back and forth every other week. ~ BECKY KNAUSS, The Beauty Lounge at Designer’s Touch Studio, Perrysburg, Ohio

Ours is a two-story building. Hairstylists downstairs usually do their own cleaning and laundry. Upstairs, our esthetician, massage therapist, and myself share in the cleaning duties (like bathroom cleaning, vacuuming, replacing light bulbs, etc.), but do our own towels and individual rooms. Most of us, though, help out if someone needs something done. (Usually I’ll change light bulbs downstairs, since I’m the tallest, or I’ll switch out towels if someone’s busy.) ~ DANA GONZALEZ-KURTZ, Artistry of the Nail at Salon Shibumi, Portland, Ore.

The owner pays for a cleaning company to do the heavy cleaning twice a month, and the staff chips in with all the daily cleaning. Everyone realizes what it takes to make the salon run smoothly for us as well as our guests, so we all do our part. ~ LINDA TABELLA, Melanie & Co. Salon Spa, North Palm Beach, Fla.

I work at two separate businesses and the duties are completely different. At my spa, the owner has a cleaning crew come in twice a month, and we are all responsible for our rooms. We are obligated to leave our stations ready to be used by another person. If you don’t, the person is written up and it is tracked for future scenarios. At my salon we all share completely. At the end of the day the last person out cleans the floors, and each of us takes out our own trash and cleans up our own work stations. At the end of the week the whole salon is inspected and cleaned by the three owners. ~ STACEY WITHERSPOON, Perfect Ten Salon & Talega Day Spa, San Clemente, Calif.

The owner of our salon, Cathy, is really conscious of the economy and how it has affected the flow of some of our clientele. After discussing hours and prices with a local cleaning company, she approached one of the women in the salon and bartered with her. On Mondays, when most of the stylists are out, this woman comes in and does the heavy-duty cleaning, like washing floors and cleaning the bathroom; in return, she doesn’t have to pay her part-time monthly rent. It’s really a good situation for both of them and for the rest of the salon, too! ~ MICHELLE YIANAKOPOLOS, Sweet Chic Hands & Feet at Merlin’s Ultimate Images, Manchester, N.H.